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Cowcatcher Magazine

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2021 Cowcatcher Magazine

All issues priced at $5.95 unless otherwise noted.

Vintage Essential – January/February 2021: Since its inception 31 years ago, the McKinney Avenue Trolley has evolved from a nostalgic ride in a trendy Dallas neighborhood to a key link in Big D. PLUS, readers say the state of model railroading is good, but growing the hobby remains a big challenge; the Crossville Model Railroad Club in Crossville, TN, runs trains for the public and tells the region’s railroad history along the way; Rapido Trains’ HO Flexi-Flo hopper delivers on detail and variety; and the Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific bridge has weathered time to provide a key link across the Red River.

January/February 2021





Pressing Ahead – March/April 2021: Once one of Dallas/Fort Worth’s premier model railroad club layouts, the HO-scale Gulf & Denver Railroad Authority is rebuilding from the ground up. PLUS, a new administration on Capitol Hill that favors rail could hold big things for Amtrak; a thin line of trees provides visually pleasing separation on the N-scale Whitehurst & Pine Ridge Railroad; The Colorado Eagle retained all the amenities of first-class travel 20 years after its arrival; and ScaleTrains.com acquires HO and S tooling from M>T.H. Electric Trains.

March/April 2021




Tele-help – May/June 2021: Big data is getting bigger in railroading when it comes to tracking freight cars. PLUS, the N-scale Bayou City & Gulf has been a fixture at a Houston train store for decades and an ambassador to model railroading; the proposed Kansas City Southern and Canadian Pacific merger holds opportunity for a seamless North American rail network; The Golden Age of Passenger Travel heads east on the Baltimore & Ohio’s National Limited; and Watco purchases Canadian National’s non-core lines and assets on the Soo subdivision.

May/June 2021




Backed Up – July/August 2021: Manufacturers are juggling supply shortages of electronic devices, including those that support DCC model railroad equipment. PLUS, Norfolk & Western No. 611 returns to the Strasburg Rail Road for special excursions; the HO-scale Mystic Branch offers eight steps for preparing engines and cars for operations; Rapido’s HO-scale Southern Pacific SW1200 locomotive sounds off with plenty of muscle and might; and the Pan American was the “beauty of the Southland” for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. And more!

July/August 2021 $6.25

Backed Up – September/October 2021: Grapevine, TX, which enjoys robust tourism, has become a total rail destination with the link of TEXRail to DFW International Airport and the Grapevine Vintage Railroad. PLUS, the HO Rock Harbor Railroad employs a homemade carfloat system to deliver cars; modeling a modern-day printing operation on the Whitehurst & Pine Ridge Railroad; ScaleTrain.com’s HO Bethlehem Steel Co. F68CH flatcar doesn’t buckle under pressure; and the East Troy Railroad Museum welcomes the return of former Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Car No. 761. And more!

September/October 2021 $6.25





Springmaid Line – November/December 2021: The history-rich Lancaster & Chester Railroad short line has become ingrained in north central South Carolina and is enjoying a very active growth mode. PLUS, the N-scale Gateway Grain Railway packs detail in a small space; Northland Rail aims to boost marketing for model railroad and railroad organizations behind the expertise of veteran hobbyists; Large newspaper press rooms depended on rail for delivering paper, as told in the second part of the Cowcatcher’s series on modeling a modern-day newspaper production facility; the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad marks 50 years (plus one) of narrow-gauge excursions between Chama, NM, and Antonito, CO; and take a ride on the Rocky Mountaineer’s newest excursion, “Rockies to the Red Rocks.”

November/December 2021 $6.25





  • July/August 2022

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  • Modern Freight

    When modeling a particular era, some agonize over what constitutes an appropriate freight car for the period. Today’s trains can be far more diverse in freight type and age than one from the 1970s. They are built better to last longer and are more varied to meet shippers’ needs.

    Design, build date and service life are factors in determining the modern era of freight cars. See our overview of the types of freight cars in service today on the North American rail network, based on manufacturer and railroad data.

  • Brewing up an Industry

    Details make the difference in Campbell’s brewery kit on the Mystic Branch HO model railroad. The scene is loaded inside and out with accoutrements that are readily available, plus some that require a little imagination and haphazard materials found on the workbench. And even a little trash.

     

     – Gene Mangum

     

  • Imagining a Railroad

    Columnist Michelle Kempema, who recently began sharing her insights with the Cowcatcher, opens model railroading’s world of free-spirited imagination after becoming the new owner of the Big Turn & Southern Railway.

  • PLUS…

    The NMRA is changing, one member at a time. Marketing consultant Christina Zambri is striving to improve the long-time organization’s visibility and image. …

     

    The Surface Transportation Board now requires certain railroads to submit service recovery plans in an effort to speed up rail traffic. …

     

    Fifty years since the last trolley ran, East Troy (WI) welcomes MVPS No. 56 for restoration and an eventual return to service. …

     

     

    THESE STORIES AND MORE, PLUS A FULL CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS AND THE BUSINESS PULSE OF THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY!

     

  • Whitehurst & Pine Ridge Railroad





    Visit the new N-scale Whitehurst & Pine Ridge Railroad, the official model railroad of the Cowcatcher Magazine, and track progress. All aboard!
  • Product News & Review

    InterMountain HO ADM Corn Syrup Car

     

    The Cowcatcher reviews InterMountain Railway Co.’s newly released HO-scale Trinity Industries 19,600-gallon corn syrup car. The tank car is one of several in the company’s second release.

     

    More product reviews!

     

    See product news!

     

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  • Back Issues

    Be sure to check out our Back Issues page for any issues you may have missed. We have expanded descriptions for issues published beginning in 2007. Click here to order.

     

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